The City University of New York has one Board of Trustees for the entire University, and the Board of Trustees delegates to each campus the responsibility for how the campus organizes itself—subject to approval of each campus’s governance plan. The Board delegates to the CUNY Chancellor, who in turn delegates to the college Presidents, who are the Chief Executive Officers. The Governance Plan of Stella and Charles Guttman Community College (formerly New Community College) was approved at the Board of Trustees meeting on June 25, 2012.

The Governance Plan<pdf> provides for membership on the College Council, which was launched with its first meeting in fall 2012. The Council elected a Secretary and members to its standing committees (Agenda, Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development) at subsequent meetings that fall. With the launch of the Student Government Association in fall 2012 and the election of student senators and officers, the SGA President and Vice President also became members of the College Council.